Improvement in potato-diggee



H. B. NORTON.

Potato Digger.

No. 78,473. Patented June 2, 1868.

RAPNER. WASHINGTON D C .have slots, b' b', through which pass set-scrcws, to fastcn them to the ends of standards a. This is shown in fig. 4, which is a bottom view of the shares and scrapcr.

H. B. NORTON, OF ROOHESTER, NEW YORK.

Letters Patent No. 78,473, (Zm'crl June 2, 1868 IMPROVEMENT IN POTATO-DIGGEB..

'dla' dduhul'e referat tr iii figrse frttrrs ghtrnt :ma making ;gift af the sama TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERNi Be it lcnown that I, II. B. NORTON, of Roehester, in the county of Monroe, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improveinents in Potato-Diggers; and I do hereby declare that the following is a. full and cxact description thereof, reference being had to the aceompanying drawing's, making part of this specification,

Figure 1 is a plan of the machine.

Figure 2, a longitudinal Vertical section in plane a' a' of fig. 1.

Figures 3, 4', 5, 6, and 7, detail views.

Like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

obtained a patent, dated October 22. 1867, for improvements in potato-diggers This present im'ention has some resemblance to that in principle, but the general details are entirely different.

In the drawngs, A A represent the driving-wheels, and B the aXle upon which'they rest. This axle, instead of being straight, in the usual form, is made archccl or Curved, so as to stride the row of potatoes 'above the vines, and still allow the driving-whcels to be made desircbly small. This arehedlaxle is absolutely essential, to give snfieient space hetweenit and the endless apron running beneath, (presently to he described,) so as to allow a free passage of the vines over the-apron. i

On the axle rcsts a main frame, C, of any convenient form, and so arrangcd and connected, that, when the team is baclrednp, the said frame will be elevated to a certain degree above theaxle, to disengage the gearing, 1 2, in going into the field, or in turning Corners. To make this connection of the main frame and axle, I'preferthe following arrangement': 'l'o 'the under side of the main frame, on opposite sides, are attached two concentric guide-arms, J J, with curved slots, z,'in which rest the ends of the axle, so as to move up and down the extent of the slots. At one end of the slots are made oifsets o`r notches, L', {ig. 5, in which the bearingis .of the axle strike at the extent of up motion, to throw the gearing out of engagement. When the exle thus Strikes into the ofsets, Springs z bear over them, toretain them in place, as shown.

To the axlc B is attaehed' a. foot-lever, K, the end of the same resting` under a cross-piece, o, of the frame,

so that, asvthc lever is depressed in the rear, the frame itself will b thrown np, as indieated in red lines, fig. 2. iThe object of this lever is to assist in the elevation of the frame, by the transferring of thejweight of'the oper ator from the seat to the lever, th'ereby not only lightening the load of the frame, but also appl'yi'ng'that load to act upon the leverage.

A pair of ointed bars, L L, connect the long end of the foot-lever with the under side of the seat, which fold compaetly when the frame is lowered, (blach lines, fig. 2,) hut straighten when the frame is elevated, (red lines, same figure,) and rctain it inhthat position. JVlien thus straightened, the contiguons cnds of the bars lock together by means of a slot andpin, e, and a hook, j. v

The arrangements above desoribed for elevating and retaining the frame are very simple end effective. I am not aware that a main frame has ever before been so arranged as to be elevated by the jointraetion of the team and the operator. f

In the front of the machine are situated two shares or ploughs, D D7 at a suitable distance apart, to cut elosely on each sideof a row. They are attached to standards or stoeks, a, whose upper ends rest in slots, b b, of the frame, and have thus an adjustment neurer together or further apart, as may hc desired. The standards are hrace'd by tension-rods, c c, extending to the front cross-piece of the frame, where they have screw-threade for tightening up at any time, whereby the endlcss apron,rhereafter deseribed, is made straight or taut when necessary. v

The land-sides or Vertical faces of the shares D D are placed inward, toward each other, and are setian'gling or converging forward. Between them 'is situated the scrapcr or scoop II, for taking up the potatoes. This scoop is connected with the shares in front by fitting in notehes, while in the rear the ends project beyond, and

This ai'rangement of the shorcs, with the land-sides set inward and, angling, and with the plain seraper intervening, is of much importancc in vdiging potatocs. The shares turn off a furrow each side'of the row, leavin` the latter, as it were, standing up in the 'forrnjof a square ridge,-which is thus easily and rcadily cut and'raiscd by thcscraper. In all other machinesMith which I am acquainted, the serap'er has to seoop down into the soil, and'cut out a groove to get the potatoes, and the earth is thus pushed and crowded before the machine, which not only renders the action very impei'fect, but also requires greatpower.

By throwing'otfthe sides of the row, the earth is scraped up easily, and in 'goodconditiom In addition to this, the land-sides for'ming the Vertical walls of the seraper, and being set angling, as described, retain and guide the mass of earth in the proper direction to full on the endlcss apron in the rcar, and also prevent sticking to the land-sides. i w

The adjustment of the shares la-terally; by means of the slots b b', is of much importanccjn gauging the width cut to the size of the rows, to the ranhness of the vines, and to the different kinds and conditions of the soil.

In the rear of the scraper is situated the endless apron I, which, at the front, passes over small rollers, ss, while at theirear it passes over sp'ur-w'heels, V V, which receive motion by the` pin ion 2, on the shaft, gearing into cog-whecl 1 of the driving-whccl. i

w The rollers s s rest in bearingst t of the scrapcr, 'ani they have, on their inner ends, heads or flanges s', while at the rear they are enelosed byv eurved caps or eovcrs, u, figsl, which are attached firmly to the projecting bearings t t, being bcnt around in such a manuer as to present an acute angle towards the opening of the endless apron.

I These flangcs of the rollers hold the apron inpla'ee, ond'prcvent wear to the fiexible sides of the latter; also serve as a guide to hold the apron in its proper extended form in the rear of the seraper. lThe caps or covers scrve as a protection or shield to the rollers against Stones or other objects7 that might otherwise be drawn in by the action of the apron. This they aecomplis h by perfectly enclosi'ng` the rollers, so that no harm can ensue. .Theacute angle of these cups being presented .towards the openings of the apron, etfec'tu'ally ward o' any stones or impediments that present thcmselves.

The construction of the apron is ns shown in fig. G, being composed of tlexiblc side-pieces v v, with crossslats or rods w w. These slats I prefer to make of A or half circular form, in cross-section, as shpwn, and they are attached to the side-pieccs'u by resting on top, while small stay-pieces, w' w', are placed under the bands v, and the`whole are then sccured l;by rivcts.

This construction has a peeuliar effect-in obviating stra'in upon the 'parts in passing over the rollers s and 'wheels V, for in the aet ofpassing, the said hands, in a degree, free themsclves of the bars by bending downward away from them, conforming to the circle, and leaving but a'slight att'achmcnt. The construction and arrange ment are also very cheap. i t

At'la suitable position within the endless apron is situated an agitator, W, consisting of two spur-wheels, w w, at the ends of a shaft, which simply has its bea'rings in projections from the frame. w These spur-wheels simply internotch with the bars of the endless apron, and, preferably, alternately, in ord'er to produce a b'etter action. t

This agitator, being clevated, holds the .apron up from sagging, and the agitating action is such as,to most etfectually sift out the dirt from the p'otatoes, and leave the latter free to be deposited in the rear.- The alternative action above describcd is most effective in this respect.

On the sides of the apron, but disconnected from it,` are situated guards E E, which serve to retain 'the potatoes in the apron, but still allow a free sifting of the dirt.

In the real' of the apron is situated a. skeleton receptacle or basket, M, made of wire or'otherl suitable material, for holdinlg the' potatoes. The bott'om of this'receptaele is made inclined downward, as it extends backward, for the purposexof coneentrating the potatoes'in the rear, and faeilitating their diseharge.

At the rear, the receptacle 'is provided with a hinged door, 1', having a lever, q,iextending up, and resting with its end on top of the frame, in such position as to be easily ncted upon by the foot. By opening this door at intervals, thepotatoes that have been gathered will be dumped in charges. i

The machine thus arranged as a potato-diggcr is very effective in operation. The earth containing the potatoes is easily scooped up, and in'its passagc becomes rapidly freed from dirt. The arched axlo allowsa free passageo-ver the vin'es, and a free action of the apron. The frame is easily raisd o rlowercd, to engage orodisengagethe gearing. The whole action is simple and effective.

' What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. The combination of the loose frame O, carrying the operating-apparatus, with the axle and driving- Wheels, when said frame is capable of being elevated by the joint action of the team and operator, as herein set forth.

2. The combination of the folding bars L L with the lever K and frame O, in the manner and for the purpose specified. v i

3. The arehed axl'e B, when employed in combination with the drivin'g-wheels A and endlcss aprcn I, .whereby the edge of the whcelsmay be reduced to the minimum, and a free passage for vines is left over the apron, as herein set forth. A

4. The shares D D, setangularly, and with the land-sides inward, in combination with the scraper H, 'Whereby the sides of the row are first ploughed off, and then scooped up, as herein set forth.

5. Adjusting the shares D D centrally, irrespective of the scraper,both at the top and bottom, byvthe slots b b', as herein described.

G. The constructionand arrangement of the bearings t, rollerss s', andl angular caps u, as herein speeified.

7. The combination of the enclosedand altei'nating agitator W with' the endless apron I, as hei'ein set forth.

8. The combination of the side guards E E with the emiiess a-bron I, as herein specified.

9. The construction and nrrangement of the endless opi'on, the same consisting of the flexible sides v v, the /haped 01' half oii'culai' slats w, and the stay-pioces w', united by rivets, the whole Operating inithe man nei' and for the purpose specified.

`10. The combination' of the tension-rods c With thez piough-standztrds va and endless api'on I, wheroeby the ploughs, scraper, and api'on are drawn forwards at pleasm'e, to nlake them taut, as herein set forth.v

11. The combination and arrangement of the offsets or notches h', and the spvings z, with the cui'ved slots h, in the manner and for the pni'pose speeified.

12. The combination of the door 1' and iever q with the open i'eccptncie M, ai'ranged and Operating as herein set forth. I

13. The empioyment of two beai'ing-rollers 8 s, on oppesite sides, for sustaining the front end of the apron without a. conneeting-shaft, a's hereinlsot forth.

In Witness vhei'eof, have hereunto signeciimy name in the pi'esence of two suhsei'ibing witnesses.

H. B. NORTON.

Witnesses z J. A. DAvIs, W. J. GnnnLMAN. 

